


EX has a sweet tooth and lucky for him NPC is sugary and the sweetest thing ever

by Gridaph



Series: Stand Alones/One Shots [3]
Category: Hermitcraft
Genre: Boys In Love, EX Just Wants To Make His Crush Love Him, Fluff, I need sleep, Im Not Late Yet, M/M, No Beta read we die like men, Ren is There, Valentines Day Fic, and it works, but he still gets a character tag because we love him in this household, doc is mentioned once, i love ren, i love them, kissies, ren is awesome, so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22732009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gridaph/pseuds/Gridaph
Summary: A late valentines fic because what is sleep anyways
Relationships: Mumbo Jumbo/Iskall85, NPC Grian/Evil Xisuma, Steffen Mossner | Docm77/Grian
Series: Stand Alones/One Shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766446
Comments: 15
Kudos: 114





	EX has a sweet tooth and lucky for him NPC is sugary and the sweetest thing ever

**Author's Note:**

> Me at the beginning of February: psssh I have time to write a valentines fic 
> 
> Me, currently: it’s not 12 AM in the west cost of the US so I still have tIME-

He doesn’t know what it is that’s got him in such a buzz today, maybe it’s the scent of sweets being baked or the very obvious, very pink, paper hearts hanging in every corner of the shopping district that screams ‘the worst damn day of the fucking year has arrived!’ And EX now definitely knows why he’s so pissy. He sees two new shops popping up and he’s dragged towards them by the sweet smell he sniffed out earlier when arriving down. While he’d never admit it, he’s got a bad sweet tooth and a sucker for anything with sugar. A bad habit of his he picked up during his most anxious moments, he needed something to occupy his mouth so he wouldn’t bite off his lips or any other skin he could get his teeth on. Hard candy worked well, and time just took its toll. He wants to say he does it to relieve stress, but now it’s just because he enjoys it.

A call of his name has his snapping out of his thoughts and fantasy about sweets and he’s snapping his head to the shop he was currently walking to. Big red letters painted on a sign on top; “CUPID’S SECRETS”. A (short) pretty blond is standing behind a stand waving his hands eagerly.

“EX!! Hey, happy Valentine’s Day! How’s it going? Got a date?” Grian’s bubbly personality has EX reeling back a little, but he sighs it off and decides, even if he hates the holiday so much he could at least be nice for today. It’s about love and all that sappy shit and whatever. Xisuma would be proud, if he weren’t busy running off with whatever-his-name was. EX didn’t bother to remember what Xisuma’s boyfriend’s name was. Never really cared enough.

EX gives Grian a sluggish smile and shrugs, “Happy Valentines Day, shortie. It’s going good and no, I don’t got a date.” Simple and straight forward, as always. EX has never been one for small talk, he’s always staying on topic and it’s always a concern when he’s straying away from it without addressing the fact he’s switching topics. Grian’s cracking a smile and there’s just something about the blond and his smile that gets EX to smile back. It’s contagious.

“Ah, poor you. That why you came over?”

EX is, rightfully so, confused. Grian somehow senses this and gives him a whole explanation.

“Well, if you don’t have a date but you do have someone in mind, me and the other Architechs are doing this thing where you can write an anonymous, or not, letter to that someone! Like a secret admirer thing, but you can always choose not to be anonymous.” Grian holds up a pastel pink card, a pretty design of a cactus with a moustache and pricks the shape of hearts. It was a cute little thing, obviously meant to be Sahara related (y’know, cactus) but no one could really tell. “We also throw in a flower, a box of chocolates and a special gift you can give them if you want! All for 2 diamonds, you know. I’ll give you a single discount.”

EX raises an eye at the last statement. “Ok... So you’re charging everyone more if they’re in a relationship?”

“No, I’m charging everyone more if they’re in concorp.”

EX cracks a bigger smile at that, chuckling at the slight hint of mischief in Grian’s eyes and that signature cocky smirk he’s always wearing when he’s feeling accomplished.

“Fair point. And- uh- yeah, I’d like to write something to someone.”

Grian smiles wider and hands him a pen with a plastic pink flower messily taped on top. He manages to sneak a look onto who EX is writing to and his smile slowly turns back to his mischievous smirk.

“So...”

Ex’s next stop is where there’s slow music playing and before he knows it, he’s sitting down in front of Rendog’s little stage. He’s playing an unfamiliar song, but EX still gets this bite of nostalgia from it and he deems Ren a good artist then. He lays on his back and admires the smooth sound of the werewolf’s voice, the sweetness of his guitar, the tapping of his foot against the stage wood and the gentle breeze flowing through his shirt. He’s tempted to take off his helmet, but he values being able to breeze so he keeps it on.

The song ends and he’s back up, clapping as Ren smiles and thanks him for listening.

“Didn’t really think you were one for acoustic, my man.”

“Im not, but I’d like to give it a try. Also, I kinda need you to do a thing for me...”

The lightness in his voice leaves Ren in shambles, wondering if that really is the same snappy EX he met years ago.

After Ren, he’s on his toes bouncing to another stand, similar to Sahara’s cute secret admirer shop, but there’s no sign and there’s more flowers scattered /everywhere/. He can see Cub and Scar working on a large bouquet and he’s inclined to go over the the opening.

“Hey.”

“Oh shi- EX, what’s up?” Scar’s greeting him first, followed by Cub who looks up from the bouquet and nods. The older is tying a nice bow and sets the arrangement aside, going up to join Scar. “What can we get ‘cha?”

“Uh. Roses, they’re for..” EX looks around and whispers in Scar’s ear and Cub gives him an all knowing look because, fuck, it’s Cub.

“God. You’re helpless.” Scar shoos him away for a bit so he can go to the back, where EX can see a bit more flowers and arrangements they’ve done. All full of colours and- oh lord.

The bouquet Scar brings out is beautiful. More than beautiful, absolutely stunning- amazing, perfect, all those other words EX couldn’t give a shit to think about. He’s got his mouth hanged open, like some fucking idiot and gets too embarrassed when Cub tells him he’s gonna catch flies if he doesn’t close it. But he really can’t help it, not like he can. The arrangement is a masterpiece, mostly white and green but there’s a giant flower dead in the center thats an eye catching bright red. It’s damn perfect.

“It’s a beauty, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, 5 diamonds. But 6 if you’re from Sahara.”

Jesus fuck what is with it with Sahara and Concorp.

Damn capitalism. EX took out a shoulder box and paid for the bouquet. Expensive, but worth it. He threw in an extra diamond and leaned in close to the two vex.

EX is nervous. Fuck, he’s never been this nervous since he was informed Xisuma was still alive after /years/. His hands are trembling and sweaty and his breathing is erratic and he’s totally freaking out standing on one of Mumbo’s islands dead in the center of Grian and Mumbo’s base. There’s a large Picnic blanket and a white picnic tent he stole from the moustached man’s place but he didn’t mind it.

He gets even more nervous as he sees the familiar silhouette of a small, frail figure floating down without wings. Black, beady eyes and the fluffiest hair he’s ever seen. NPC’s sweater isn’t folded up at the elbows like they always are, instead falling looselywell over his hands. EX’s breath catches for a moment before he gets up from where he’s sitting and greets his smaller friend.

“This is a nice set-up, Zoomie. But, isn’t that Mumbo Jumbo’s tent and blanket?”

NPC speaks too formally for EX’s taste, but there’s this part where he struggles to pronounce things correctly or the way he says zoomie as if it were EX’s real name. It all makes EX feel bubbly and fluffy inside and he doesn’t usually like the feeling but he ignores his distaste fro NPC.

“Y-yeah, he offered it to me. Just, uh, sit on the blanket or something. There’s food and stuff, and uh, enjoy the view I guess.”

There’s a comfortable silence that EX can find himself getting used to. He doesn’t like the silence, it gives way to too many thoughts, but right now he’s fine with the quiet. Maybe it’s the way NPC scoots In closer and snuggles against EX because it’s getting closer, or the way EX wraps his arms around the blond just as music begins to play in the back. It’s quiet, distant and it’s obvious Ren is having a concert in the shopping district, close to the shoreline like EX had requested. It makes for good background noise and when EX looks down he’s mesmerized by the shine in NPC’s eyes as he stares off into the sunset, and as the shooting of a rocket goes off.

EX helps his friend up and he wraps an ungloved, rough hand around his waist. The other holds NPC’s hand as he leads him to an empty part of the island where they can hear the music better. No words are spoken as they stare into each other’s eyes and dance, slowly and carefully and beautifully entranced in each other’s presence. EX watches his eyes, lighting up as he dips them down and back up; smiles as NPC smiles and he twirls him around. He doesn’t even see Grian fly down swiftly to drop off the card, chocolate and bouquet from concorp, staying a bit too long to smile fondly at his little brother and EX before flying back to join Doc at Ren’s concert.

They stop dancing as the song slowly comes to an end and another starts again. The sun has completely set at this point, the light of the moon and lanterns creating a surreal feeling EX can’t help but hold onto for a bit more. He doesn’t want to let go of NPC’s hands but once he eyes the bouquet and card he knows he has to if he wants to hold onto them for the rest of his life.

“Zoomie? What’s all this about..?”

EX picks up the bouquet and cases, shoves both of them in NPC’s face and inhaled deeply as he waits for the blond to process everything.

“You. Zoomie- was this all-“

“Happy Valentines Day, NPC- uh. I know this is gonna be all sappy and stuff and you don’t have to listen to me cause I already wrote all of this on the card but, fuck, I’ve been falling in love with you for a while now. Just- just your smile and the way you laugh and everything about you and, shit, just. Be my valentine for tonight and for every night after this forever and ever and ever, please.”

EX feel like he can’t breathe, the sound of his helmet filtering all the air he’s taking in is embarrassing. NPC is speechless and his face is red and he’s pressing his face into the bouquet and he doesn’t know what to say.

“Can I,” EX starts, nervously and he really wishes he had hard candy or could chew his lip or something but he doesn’t- he doesn’t do anything except move in closer to trap NPC in his arms gently enough that NPC can push him away and reject him if he so desired, “Can I kiss you?”

NPC gives a light nod and that’s all EX needs to take off his helmet and go in. He can’t breathe at first, but as soon as his lips meet NPC’s he swears he’s never breathed such fresh air in his life. His hands go from NPC’s back to his waist and another tangled in his fluffy hair. NPC isn’t very handsy, still holding the large bouquet and card but he’s pressed himself flush against the taller and he’s straining his neck to even keep reach. The music in the background is long forgotten (but they can both still hear the slow acoustics that seem to fit with the scene perfectly) and so is their half eaten food- all they’re focused on is right here and right now, kissing under the moonlight on an island with sappy music playing in the background.

Yeah. Valentines Day is definitely the best holiday, EX decides.

Definitely.

**Author's Note:**

> Bro sorry about the dashes n stuff nnnn I’m posting this on Mobile and it’s an absolute PAIN to edit so I gave up half way. It’s also nearly 2AM where I am so even if I were on my laptop, I wouldn’t have the attention span to edit but I wanna get this out before any other countries hit 12 AM so here it is,, quite rushed at the end but I quite liked it.


End file.
